


Dance With Me

by itsametaphorforlife



Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Cuddles, Dancing, Drunken Confessions, F/M, Fluff, I love these kids, Singing, Underage Drinking, also Alicia and Chris bonding, cute stuff, drug mention, happy lightweight chris manawa, its cute, puking but hair holding, some jealousy, unrequited feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 03:24:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7026580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsametaphorforlife/pseuds/itsametaphorforlife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You, Alicia, and Chris are getting drunk one night on the Abigail. You were getting nice and hammered when Nick shows up, and you all but confess your true feelings for him...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance With Me

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea for a while now...and I couldn't pass up the opportunity for Chris to be included and have some fun with the gang (besides all the angst I love writing giggly lightweight Chris! My son needs to be happy more). Anywho, I'm rambling and I hope you enjoy! :)

It was a calm night aboard the Abigail. You, Alicia, and Chris had decided to dip into the liquor stash, both out of boredom and the fact that you really need to get wasted. You had started to develop a huge crush on Nick in the past few weeks, bigger than you’d ever imagine, and it scared you. Because not only did you have a crush on this boy you’d known practically your entire life, but because you saw the way he interacted with Ofelia and it made you...well, jealous. And you knew you shouldn’t be jealous of Ofelia, she was always so kind and thoughtful toward you and you genuinely enjoyed her company...but when she would lean into Nick during dinner or he would offer to change her bandage, it always managed to make you feel uneasy. 

You sighed, taking in the gentle breeze of the night as you tilted back the bottle of Jack Daniels. Alicia and Chris shared a bottle of champagne, which was delicious and all, but you wanted to get hammered, and Jack was always your choice, knowing it’d get the job done. Despite the chill vibe and atmosphere you still felt like you were babysitting more than anything. This was the first time Chris had ever gotten drunk (the lightweight) and you had to take his gun away after he kept betting Alicia that he could “totally shoot a fish for dinner.” Alicia would giggle loudly to herself and try to tell Chris jokes; she had, after all, downed over half the champagne herself so she was properly buzzed.

Your body was warm and your head was getting nice and easy. The headache was slipping away from you, even as you looked over to see Chris rolling on the deck, laughing at one of Alicia’s dirty jokes. You smiled lightly and took a long gulp of Jack. 

“Whoah, what’s going on here?” A familiar amused voice echoed around you. You looked up to find Nick walking over to you, smile plastered on his face. “Mind if I join you?” Nick asks pointing to the bottle in your hand. 

You handed over your bottle reluctantly, slightly satisfied that you could feel the buzz coming on. Nick took a sip and almost snorted as Alicia and Chris tried to play tag around the deck, falling over and stumbling like toddlers learning to walk. Nick sat down next to you a little too close. His knee brushed against yours and you shifted uncomfortably. 

Nick noticed and scrunched his brow. “What’s wrong?” He asked, tipping the bottle for a drink. You shook your head and tried to grab the bottle when he lowered it, but he pulled it out of reach. “(Y/N).” Nick said, sounding concerned. “I’ve known you for a long time, you are a happy-party drunk. You only get like this when something’s wrong.” 

“Nothing’s w-wrong.” You slurred slightly. “I just want to relax ‘s’all.” 

“Nah.” Nick said, taking a long drink. “Something is bothering you. But if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. It’s just that...we used to tell each other everything.” He looked away from you and took another sip before handing the bottle back to you. You took it and sipped, not really wanting any but wanting to avoid Nick more. 

The deck was suddenly quiet, more quiet than it had been all night. You looked over to find Alicia struggling to stay awake on the couch and Chris curled up on the deck, fast asleep and cuddling the empty bottle of champagne against him. 

Nick laughed and took the bottle from you, swigging the remains. “Remember when we were freshman,” Nick said, pointing to Chris, “And we went to our first high school party? And you insisted you could get wasted on two wine coolers and a shot of ...what was it?”

“A shot of tequila, one shot.” You smirked at the memory.

“Oh man.” Nick laughed, “We tried so hard, didn’t we?” 

“We did.” 

“You know what the best part of the party was?” 

You thought for a minute. “When you tried to smoke a cigarette the wrong way and threw up over that cheerleader’s bedroom?” You laughed, remembering how sick Nick was for three days after that.

“Oh my god, no!” Nick threw his head back and laughed, “I had forgotten about that too!” Nick shook his head from the memory. “No, the best part was when I got rejected from a dance by that junior and you got angry and decided to dance with me all night.” 

You blushed at the memory, remembering how close you two used to be...how close your bodies used to be. “Really?” You said, calmly. “That was the best part?” 

“Yeah,” Nick said, brushing the hair from his face. “I mean...I don’t know. We used to have so much fun.” 

“Yeah, we did, didn’t we?” You said in a low voice, Nick turned to you, his brown eyes burning into you with sadness and complication. 

“(Y/N) I don’t know why you’ve been so distant lately, but just know that you can tell me anything. I’ll listen.” Nick said sincerely. You sighed, thought about telling him, but then decided against it. “Okay then no talking,” Nick sighed, but then you saw a sparkle in his eyes, and his smile cocked to one side. “But what about dancing?” 

“What?” You asked, wanting him to confirm his offer. 

“Dance with me,” He whispered in your ear. “Like the good old days.”

Nick got up and held his hand out to you. You hesitated for a moment, but decided to go for it anyways. Your hand clasped tightly over his and he helped pull you up from your seat. You stumbled forward, head spinning from sitting and drinking so long, and Nick caught you in his arms. 

“Whoah there,” Nick sighed. “You good?” 

“Yeah.” You said, standing upright. Nick smiled and laced his fingers between yours, holding your hand up, while his other hand went to your waist. You placed your free hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his brown eyes looking down on you. Nick began to sway and you followed his rhythm.

“I wish we had some music.” You sighed, tired, and leaned your head against his chest as you both swayed to nonexistent music. 

“I got this.” Nick said, clearing his throat. He began to hum a melody softly in the back of his throat. You knew the melody, but you couldn’t quite place it. You decided it was pleasant enough to dance to and closed your eyes, smelling the Jack on both your bodies and feeling the warmth of his chest against your face. You kept this up for a good moment, until you realized where you recognized the song from. 

You pulled apart from Nick, stopping your dancing and his humming. He looked at you, concerned but didn’t let go of your hand or waist.

“Were you?” Your voice almost cracked. “Were you humming Elvis’ ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love?’” 

Nick blushed. “Uhm...yeah. That was the first thing to come to mind I guess.”   
Suddenly the alcohol seemed to turn against you. “Excuse me, I need to-” You parted from Nick and stumbled over the the rail, where you threw up over the side of the ship into the sea. Nick was behind you in a flash, pulling your hair out of your face as you puked. 

“Oh shit,” Nick said. “I fucked up. I’m so sorry. Shit.” 

You wiped your mouth on your sleeve, and looked up at him. “No,” You said. “I’m just...I’m sorry. I thought I could handle this but I guess I can’t.” You were close to tears now. 

“Can’t handle what?” Nick sighed, trying his best not to pull you into a hug. 

“This.” You gestured. “Being friends with you.” Nick looked pained as you continued. “I just, like you so much. And I know we’re just friends, and that you’re probably in love with Ofelia or something, but when you drink with me and sing me Elvis and make me feel like...like I’m home...that kills me because I know that I’ll always secretly want more.” 

Nick was silent for a long time, and you wiped the loose tears from your eyes. “That’s why you’ve been distancing yourself from me?” Nick said very low. “Because you like me and was afraid that I could never love you?” You nodded. Nick shook his head and laughed nervously. “You know, I’ve been in love with you since the eighth grade?”

Your eyes widened in surprise. “What?” 

“Yeah.” Nick breathed. “But I’m a little relieved you finally caught up to my level.”

“But that junior...and all your girlfriends? Gloria?” 

Nick shook his head. “All of them mostly to make you jealous or to help me numb the pain of loving you, especially when you were going out with that college guy.” He said, stroking your cheek as you winced at the memory. "All of them except for Gloria, she was an experience that helped me forget about you for brief moments as I got high.” You absorbed all this information, digesting it the best you could. Nick laughed. “But it never lasted long, you were too magnetic. And I barely even know Ofelia! Man, I can’t believe you thought I was in love with her.” You laughed with Nick and leaned into his touch. 

“So,” You say, looking up into his big brown eyes. “You really do like me back?” 

“God, you’re so thick sometimes.” Nick teased, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close to him so he could kiss your forehead. “I don’t like you,” He breathed against your forehead. “I love you.” He rocked you back and forth and you leaned your head against his chest again.   
****  
You don’t quite remember when you pass out that night, but you remembered curling against Nick on the deck and drifting off to him humming that Elvis song. You woke up the next morning in his arms, as a very hungover Chris and Alicia snicker in the corner. Despite the hangover, you knew this was going to be the start of a very good day.


End file.
